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Wesley College Past Pupils |
Revered Canon E. A. ('Austin') Carry (1918–2009), a great servant to his Alma Mater, his church and Rugby Football.
Austin Carry (right) pictured with his half back partner ‘Douggie’ Doyle The 1936-37 Senior Cup Team captained by Austin Carry (centre)
Austin Carry was born 24 August 1918, the only child of of Frederick and Elizabeth (née Bernard) Carry, of Dublin. He attended Wesley College Dublin (1928–37) as both a boarder and day pupil, was a prefect in form VI, and a captain in the boarding house, receiving the good conduct medal at his final prize day. He captained the JCT (1934) as out-half, forming a lasting creative partnership with D. R. 'Douggie' Doyle (who died serving in the RAF near the close of the Second World War) inside him at 9. They would continue through to DUFC and senior Inter-Provincial level, representing Leinster together. That season Carry converted a last-minute try against Mountjoy to proceed to the final, where Wesley lost to Blackrock. In 1935 Carry joined the SCT, who were knocked out by a last-minute Castleknock penalty. The following year he captained the SCT when they were knocked out in the third round by a strong Belvedere side. Carry was selected for all three school Inter-Provincial games that season, and featured alongside Doyle against Connacht and Ulster – together combining to score all 11 of victorious Leinster's points against the latter, with Carry as captain. It can confidently be stated that Carry and Doyle were the best half-back combination in the College before the Second World War, and must certainly be regarded as two of the College's all-time greatest players. Carry and Doyle played together for the OWRFC 1st XV in 1937/38 season, the former first togging out for the club in February and making his senior debut on St Patrick's day, dropping two goals in a 13-3 victory against Monkstown.
Carry studied at TCD and after his fathers death (1938) his mother made great sacrifices to support Austin's collegiate career. Carry took a BA (1941), Div. Test. (1942) and MA (1944), while the Second World War loomed large over his senior rugby career. He had played for DUFC against Oxford and Cambridge in the 1938/39 season, finding his feet in the senior squad. He then ascended, with Doyle, to the 1st XV for the 1939–40 season. Carry captained the 1st XV in 1940/41, with three other WCD old boys playing with him: Doyle, Louis Jacobson and W. F. Skuce. That year, alongside Doyle, Carry also captained the DUFC team to victory in the Sevens competition, where DUFC rarely made an impact. In his own self-effacing account of Trinity rugby during the war (E. A. Carry, 'The Second World War' in Dublin University Football Club, 1854–1954 ( Dublin, 1954)), Carry speaks fondly of playing outside Hugh de Lacy at 9, who went on to captain the 1st XV in 1941/42 and was later best man at Carry's nuptials.
Carry was at his resplendent best during the 1942–3 season with OWRFC, scoring 130 points (68 in club games) in total. A Carry drop-goal clinched OWRFC's first ever cup-tie victory (4–3) against St Mary's College in April 1943. He played in the unofficial international between an Irish XV and the British Army XV in Belfast that year. In December 1945 he played in an Old Belvedere selection against the New Zealand Services Rugby Team. In the semi-final of the Leinster Senior Cup that year, Carry captained the losing side in an epic game, where Old Belvedere came back in the final quarter to edge Old Wesley out and continue on what became a seven-in-a-row dominance of that competition.
In 1947–8 OWRFC, now fielding four teams from their refurbished pavilion, were a significant force in Leinster. Carry showed his versatility, slotting in effortlessly as both centre and full-back during the Leinster Senior Cup campaign, with the 1st XV reaching the semi-final, only to be knocked-out by eventual victors UCD. Carry was regarded as the backbone of the Old Wesley 1st XV in the years immediately after the war; his contribution to the scoreboard with his boot was significant while his kicking out of hand was also well regarded. He retired at the end of the 1948/49 season having been the first clergyman ever to captain (1944–45, and 1945–46) the senior side (Horace McKinley, 1973–4, was the second.) Carry brought with him notable organisational skills that season, and had the better of Kyle in Old Wesley's victory over Queen's University. Carry won the Adam Cup seven times (the last time in 1947), a competition to encourage the skill of kicking, restricted to club members and awarded on a points basis. Carry also featured in the victorious OWRFC Seven's team that won the Evening Mail Cup in 1946, leading the scoring in that campaign. Though somewhat lacking in pace, Carry's contemporary reputation stood up well in comparison to Eugene Davy and Jack Kyle, respectively his most notable predecessor and successor. A consummate defender, Carry read the game excellently and was fearless at the breakdown.
No man should perhaps be compared directly against another, yet it is probably unavoidable in sporting terms in this context. But for the Second World War, and the subsequent predominance of the great Jack Kyle, Carry would certainly have gained a half dozen caps at 10. He represented Ireland in two (against Scotland and Wales) of the four 'Victory Internationals' in 1946, international fixtures (all of which Ireland lost) for which the French alone awarded caps. The contemporary press asserted almost in unison that Carry deserved greater recognition, and was perhaps the most prominent of those notable wartime players deserving greater recognition. Internationals proper resumed in January 1947, by which time Kyle had overcome the only significant injury of his career and was truly ascendant at 10. Circumstances had perhaps denied Carry fuller recognition. He had even 'crossed codes' and togged out for a soccer XI, drawn from seven Dublin rugby clubs, against Home Farm in a charity match in May 1943, maintaining links with the latter club for some time when he served as a local clergyman. An accomplished Inter-Pro from his days as a school boy, Carry was awarded 27 senior caps in total - 13 while playing in Trinity and 14 with OWRFC. Carry also starred at cricket for Wesley, Trinity and Clontarf. He played two senior seasons with Trinity (1940–2), twice reaching the final of the Leinster Senior Cup – winning on the second occasion by 41 runs against Phoenix. The previous season he made a century against the same club, and headed the batting with 594 runs at 33 for the season; he took 10 wickets at 11.10. Carry also gained an Inter-pro cricket cap against Ulster, played with Clontarf the following season, and later joined Rathmines CC .
Carry eagerly continued his involvement with the game of Rugby Football, acquiring a whistle and developing a deserving reputation as an accomplished referee. Soon officiating at the highest club levels, he joined the Inter-Provincial referees panel in 1952. Carry continued as a tireless servant of the game for another three decades in this capacity. At the opening of the new Old Wesley RFC pavilion in September 1964, he had the honour of attending the as President of the Referees' Association of the Leinster Branch. Indeed he had earlier served as president of OWRFC (1960–61), and was heavily involved in spurring on the improvement of the club's facilities.
Ordained a deacon (1942), and priest (1943) in the Diocese of Dublin he was first a Curate in Drumcondra and North Strand (1942–5), then at Sandford (1945–50). He was appointed Rector of St Saviour's, Arklow, Co. Wicklow in February 1951 (instituted 2 March), before being appointed Rector to Killiney in October 1956, just as Ireland groped towards improving socio-economic standards across society. Carry spearheaded fund-raising for a new parish hall, as Holy Trinity Killiney approached its centenary year in 1959. Preparatory work on a new parish hall had started in September 1957. It was opened by Archbishop George Otto Simms in May 1958 and was later renamed (Nov. 1968) the 'Carry Hall', in honour the latter's long service to the parish. Carry was instrumental in the merging with St Matthias' (Ballybrack) and St Paul's (Glenageary) for the purpose of constructing a new national school for his parish. It was opened by the then Taoiseach Liam Cosgrace and Archbishop Brian Buchanan on 24 November 1973. Carry was also Prebendary of Rathmichael, St Patrick's Cathedral (1983–6). He retired from Holy Trinity Killiney in September 1986, having served as Rector there for 30 years. In retirement he served as a Chaplain (1987–96) to The Mageough Home in Rathmines.
He was a vice-president of the Wesley College Old Boy's Union from the 1960s, and served as President 1967–8. He was an active member of the Association of Schools' Unions, and in that capacity was instrumental in leading annual ecumenical services for sportsmen in aid of various good causes. He married (3rd July 1947) at the Church of St Philip and St James, Booterstown, Elizabeth ('Betty') Zöe Thornton, daughter of West and Jeanne Thornton of Frascati Park, Blackrock. They had become engaged that January; the reception was held in the Shelbourne Hotel, and the newly-weds honeymooned in the west of Ireland. They had two daughters together, Valerie and Laura.
Elegant, dapper and a gentleman to his core, he was the guest of honour at an OWRFC lunch this past season and cheered his beloved club on with gusto. The class and verve of the man was vividly apparent, alongside the esteem and warmth with which he was held by all who knew him. He was a man devoted to others: his family and friends, his team-mates, his church, and most of all his community - be that Dublin, Leinster, or the Anglican brethren of his island. Carry died 13th March 2009 in Dublin at Dargle Valley Nursing Home, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. He was cremated after a service in Christ Church, Dun Laoighre, on 18th March 2009.
Turlough O'Riordan 11 May 09.
Born July 1st, 1869
Died May 11, 1951
Frederick Edward Davies was born on the first July 1869. He attended Wesley College as a day pupil from 1868-1870.
He won 5 caps for Ireland playing half back in the then 4 nations tournament.
He won his first cap in against Scotland on 20th February 1892 and in his next game was a try scorer against Wales, as Ireland went on to win that game 9 nil in Landsdowne Road.
The following season he started all three 4 Nations games, losing to England and Wales but drawing with Scotland.
He was captain of Landsdowne rugby club in the 1893-1894 season and elected president of the club in the 1931-32 season.31-
